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Archive for May 27, 2011

Remember those days when your parents would punish you and say something like, “This hurts me for than it hurts you?” Well, as a GM, I am admittedly quite familiar with that feeling. As funny as it sounds, there is nobody in the entire group which will know your character as well as I do by the time the campaign ends. This is because no matter how many other players there are in the campaign, ultimately I am your most constant audience.

As a GM, I don’t just bother with making a plot and running you through it. I have to pay attention, to listen, to give you every ounce of my awareness because I have to react to your decisions. I spend time planning out your obstacles, fleshing out your opponents and presenting your characters with conflict. Ultimately, I am the one that celebrates and cheers your victories, and mourns your defeats.

Perhaps that is the reason why I don’t understand the “Antagonist GM” mindset. I’m here to oppose you, yes, much in the same way that boxers oppose each other in the ring. No punches are pulled, violence is mandatory, maybe someone bleeds, maybe someone goes down cold… but after all of that, they know that it’s still a sport.

I am not a man without empathy. In fact, I use this empathy when I run my games. I use it to think of situations that will really force you guys to think about your situations, to contemplate the possible consequences of your actions. It also comes in handy when I’m trying to gauge if you’re having fun or getting fed up or frustrated with the things I’m throwing at you.

So yeah, your GM is a softie… I tend to think in terms of emotion and internal conflict more than I do about Charm Combos or stacking bonuses. I probably won’t be able to change that, so I hope you’re happy with that you’re getting.